April 28
Deadline to Submit COVID Test Results to Nurse Kathy
May 3
Virtual Admissions Open House
Noon
May 4
Student Portrait Make-up/Retakes
Contact Noel by 4 p.m. on Friday, April 30, if you would like to have your child photographed. Photo proof links have been posted on Bloomz.
Annual Meeting
7-8 p.m., Zoom
Read more below.
May 7 & 11
Lead Teacher Professional Days
Pre-registered child care available from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. All registrations are due on May 3. We are unable to accept walk-ins to due COVID-19 restrictions.
May 12
Deadline to Submit COVID Test Results to Nurse Kathy
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Student Portrait Proofs - Now Available on Bloomz
Sign up for retakes/make-up photos by Friday at 4 p.m.
Links to all student portrait proofs have been posted to their respective classrooms on Bloomz and can be purchased directly through the linked website.
Retakes and make-up photos are scheduled for the morning of Tuesday, May 4. If you would like the photographer to take your child's photo on that day, please contact Noel Dietrich by 4 p.m. on Friday, April 30.
Please see the message below from our photographer:
Dear Families,
It was a pleasure photographing your child. Wilmington Montessori School's campus provided the perfect backdrop for our outdoor session. I hope you enjoy browsing the digital proofs. You have the option to purchase discounted preset packages, à la carte print products or even a digital download of your favorite image. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions,
Ann Deas
302-740-1452
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Child Care Days - May 7 & 11
(Register by May 3)
As we enter the last few weeks of the school year, we have two final child-care days on the horizon - May 7 and 11. The deadline for registration is Monday, May 3 so that we are able to staff appropriately per licensing and CDC guidelines for physical distancing. No drop-ins will be accepted.
Note: If your child is enrolled in a 12-month program, please confirm with Tracey that your children will be attending on these child-care days so that we can plan accordingly.
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Final Opportunity to Secure Your Child's Spot for the 2021-22 School Year -
Re-enroll by May 15
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During the past few weeks, we have received an onslaught of new applications for the 2021-22 school year. Our Toddler, Primary (3-6) and Lower Elementary (6-9) programs are close to capacity. While we always prioritize our returning families, we will have to begin offering our few remaining spots in these programs to new applicants after May 15. You can re-enroll online at www.wmsde.org/reenrollment.
Please contact Paula Sharpe, Director of Enrollment Management, at admissions@wmsde.org if you have questions about the re-enrollment process (or to confirm that your family does NOT plan to return to WMS), or contact the business office if you have financial questions.
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Annual Meeting - Tuesday, May 4
We hope you will join us for the WMS Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 4, at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The WMS Board hosts this annual meeting to provide an opportunity for parents, guardians, staff and community members to hear directly from board members. If you have any questions that you would like to see addressed at the meeting, please email them to annualmeeting@wmsde.org.
All WMS families should have received an invitation and ballot to vote for this year's board nominees via email last week. Votes are due by noon on May 4. Please contact Noel Dietrich if you did not receive this message.
Webinar ID: 874 6554 6754
(Use our standard WMS password to log in)
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Take the Great Schools, Clean Streams Pledge
Schools throughout the county are competing to collect online pledges to dispose of used cooking oil and grease in the trash rather than pouring them down the sink. The schools that collect the most pledges in their category will win up to $1,250 for school supplies and educational projects. The pledge drive runs through April 30.
Your pledge will help prevent water pollution and could help WMS win a cash prize! Tell friends and family to pledge as well!
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New CDC Guidance on Face Coverings
We would like everyone to know that we are aware of the new guidance from the CDC regarding face coverings and vaccinated individuals. While much of our staff is now vaccinated, please know that WMS will NOT be changing our current practices and procedures at this time, as we continue to adhere to the strictest safety precautions. All adults and students in the Primary Program and older will continue to be required to wear a mask at all times while on campus. Thank you!
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COVID-19 Testing - Next Results Due Today (Wednesday, April 28) |
We continue to be grateful for your efforts to keep our community safe through COVID-19 testing every two weeks.
Your child's next test results are due today (Wednesday, April 28) at 4 p.m. in order for your child to attend school tomorrow (Thursday, April 29). Results must be emailed to Nurse Kathy at nurse@wmsde.org as soon as they become available. If you are sending a screenshot, please include the date tested.
Important: Please understand that if no results are forwarded to Nurse Kathy, your child will not be permitted on campus. If your results are forwarded after 4 p.m. on the due date, you may experience a delay in drop-off in the morning. A last-minute result may delay or prevent your child from attending school; time must be allowed for communication to the staff members conducting screenings in the car line.
Upcoming required due dates are as follows:
- Wednesday, May 12
- Wednesday, May 26
You are still welcome to have your child tested more frequently and may forward the results to Nurse Kathy.
Thank you, and please contact Nurse Kathy if you have any questions!
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Upcoming COVID-19 Testing Events
Thursday, April 29
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Wilmington University Athletic Complex - 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 1
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Westside Healthcare - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Sunday, May 2
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UD Star Campus - 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
(Please visit this page to confirm that there have been no changes to the schedule above before going to your testing location.)
Permanent Test Sites and Other COVID-19 Testing Options
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STEAM/Maker Studio - Lower Elementary (6-9) |
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Lower Elementary (6-9) students blasted off into space during their Maker Studio time this month!
First, students learned about the current and past Mars Rovers and created their own rovers using Maker Studio materials. They made landing pads using only paper, tape and a hard-boiled egg to represent the Martian capsule.
Next, students will learn about the International Space Station and design and create their own NASA mission patches.
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Physical Education - Elementary & Middle School |
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Lower Elementary (6-9) students just finished their soccer unit in PE class. They worked on fundamentals including kicking, passing, shooting and dribbling. At the end of the two-week unit, the class was excited to scrimmage on the big soccer field! Next, this group will focus on hand-eye coordination - catching and throwing properly while working on aim and accuracy.
"9-12 students, come on down!" 9-12 students kicked off their new unit with a game of PE Jeopardy, testing their minds with sports and health trivia. How many bones are in the human body? How many points is a touchdown worth? What is a benefit of drinking water? Can you name a professional soccer player? Each player earned a shot at answering questions and getting points by doing jumping jacks, running, flipping a coin or holding a plank.
Middle School students have continued to challenge their minds and bodies in PE while enjoying the nice weather outside. They finished a soccer unit last week and will soon be testing their knowledge with some PE Jeopardy.
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This month, Middle School students completed their masterpiece relief paintings (bottom left photo), then used the same artist’s work to paint an artist rock (bottom right photo). During this project, the students explored composition and painting on an irregularly shaped and textured surface. They had the option to use the same painting they used for the relief painting or choose a different piece by that artist.
Their next project focused on color theory. They created quadriptych paintings (top left photo), with each quadrant depicting a different aspect of color theory (i.e., primary color, secondary color, complementary color and analogous color). This project also focused on techniques for color mixing and painting. Some of the students also had the opportunity to work on a one-point perspective drawing of a word (top right photo).
Finally, the class worked with basic concepts for drawing perspective lines and creating atmospheric perspective with color pencil.
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This month, music classes for students in the 9-12 Program have focused on two things: steel pans and Peter Pan.
Students reviewed how to read and write pitches and rhythms, and applied that knowledge to the sheet music for folk songs from Nigeria and Ghana, and two tunes by Harry Belafonte: “Matilda” and “Day-O,” played in five parts for percussion and pans. Steel pans originated in Trinidad, out of the fact that formerly enslaved Africans were forbidden to play drums, so they used bamboo sticks, then metal containers and utensils, and finally discovered that hammering flat areas on biscuit tins and oil drums created a variety of pitches.
In rehearsing the music for Peter Pan, students are learning how to follow a choral score using line and measure numbers, how to find your part on a staff, how to sing in harmony, and how to sing in a healthy way. Students are also rehearsing after school, two or three times per week, preparing for the filming of the show on May 12 and 13. The movie premiere, for the cast and crew and their families, will be a special outdoor viewing experience on the night of June 1. There will also be showings during school days, for all students and staff, in distanced groups. Additionally, the film will be available online for home viewing. We are so proud of the significant time and effort that our talented third through eighth-graders are giving to make Peter Pan spectacular!
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Spanish - Primary through Middle School |
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Last week, Ana Brown, WMS's Spanish teacher, held another special event for our Primary students, in honor of Dia de la Tierra (Earth Day). The students gathered in the Peace Park, one class at a time, and discussed ways to protect our planet. Topics included recycling, picking up trash, taking care of our animals and trees, and reusing shopping bags. The group learned a Spanish song about the earth and took part in a nature scavenger hunt, looking for items like una flor (a flower), una nube (a cloud), agua (water) and una hormiga (an ant)!
6-9 students (including their virtual classmates) are learning about frutas y verduras (fruits and vegetables). They shared their favorites and least favorites and added them to a song called “Me Gusta y No Me Gusta.”
9-12 students are learning different types of la comida (food) and discussing special meals from Hispanic countries. They shared which ones they have tried so far and which ones they would like to try down the road including tacos, fajitas, ceviche and paella). After talking about comidas, students were encouraged to design a restaurante and create their own menus.
Middle School students just started a fun topic: Fiestas! They learning about different celebrations all over the world and have shared their own favorite and least favorite celebrations. We also discussed a few celebrations that differ from our culture, such as: quinceañeras (when a girl turns 15), Día de Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) and Día de los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings).
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The Wednesday Weekly shares WMS news and events that are relevant to the families in our community.
Please send submissions to wednesday-weekly@wmsde.org by 4:30 p.m. on the Friday prior to the issue in which you wish to include your information. Content may be edited for length and style and may be held for a future issue due to space constraints.
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WILMINGTON MONTESSORI SCHOOL
WWW.WMSDE.ORG
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Copyright © 2021, All Rights Reserved. |
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